Witha

Depends on the usage. I use dive knives (not the blunt tip ones) for most of my saltwater duties as they're hardy. 40 bucks and lasted for years. Filleting / kitchen different story

Being on a kayak I leash everything (learnt the hard way. RIP favourite combo) Made my own with bungy chord and carabiner otherwise I use the pre made lanyards from the big fishing store

Mate if it's fresh and looks fishy they'res probably bass in there try running a plastic like a zman grub or small paddle tail with a jig spinner (bets spin), they will be in the smallest little creeklets it doesn't bother them. Keen to hear how you go! Hard to go past the shoal haven though!

Very nice man! Well done for tagging keen to see if it pops up again! Mirage drives are the bomb. Used my mates and now I'm getting the 2015 outback this weekend

Referring to the actual spooled line mate. Not the whole reel. A thin trickle of water onto the braid only does wonders with zero water penetration into the reel. All braid will get salty it's the nature of a woven line, removing it is never a bad thing if done properly.

Also if you do end up grabbing it soon we do trips up the Georges regularly more than welcome to tag along

Hey mate, was in exactly the same situation as you couple of years ago. Best decision I've made was getting a yak. I'm a bit taller and heavier and opted for the big brother of the little ebay ones, comes with the rudder etc bout 4m long. The rudder is the iggest advantage, so useful for tracking and maneuvering. Mate of mine got the little version he's probably 90 or 100 kegs and she sits pretty low in the water! Take that into account for live well additions etc. If you can stretch to 600 get the bigger one but otherwise the little ones are awesome value. Got mine in the last chapter of the uni career and loved taking it out mid week before lectures [emoji14] Post uni employment has allowed me to get a hobie next week but I've loved my yak. Similar width and never had an issue with a fish pulling me uncomfortably. Good luck!

Haha that's awesome! Better to get smoked and lose than never hook up at all! I've had similar issues anchoring in the yak, but the system I use has a big old float right at the attachment point to my trolley and I just click it off to retrieve later. Nothin better than getting towed around by something large and in charge!

Awesome report Slinky! Great story, and glad the Pudlian got his first!

Excellent man! Killing it honker of a trev too!

Awesome post squid. I've always been a bit OCD with my knives, to the extent that I've taken a steel to my mates place to fix their "sharp" knives. I'm a complete dunce with a stone when it comes to curved blades and got frustrated trying to get my zenelli fillet knife up to scratch, ended up getting a Lansky sharpening system which basically is a guide system with rods to keep the angle of the edge consistent. Its worked so far Good quality knife steel is the next key factor for me. I've got some softer knives that will take an edge well but won't hold it, but my kitchen knives hold the edge once you get it there. Less is more when it comes to sharpening for me, less pressure fewer strops and less metal removed. Stay away from diamond hones and the sharpeners where you run the blade through them. Practice practice practice on knives you won't regret ruining [emoji14]

Haha I'd be paddling my bum off to keep up but love yakking the hacking. Hoping to upgrade to a hobie very shortly, keep me posted

Hi mate, I'm pretty anal with my braid as you know, when I'm washing down I wind the drag up full lock then run a steady stream of slightly more than warm water onto the braid (holding the reel horizontal) then turn the spool and go from the other side as to not just push salt further into the line lay. Keeps it pretty smooth Cheers

Thanks mate you're a gem, I'll have to check out the Maria see what's possible got the car packed beers and gear and yak all ready to rumble just needa knock off work to hit the road with the lads!

Very nice mate, always good to connect to something that's large and in charge!

Great stuff mate, you'll be addicted to plastics in no time [emoji14] Glad the new combo got a christening!

Yeahhh buddy! It paid off! Gorgeous looking slabs of silver mate well done. The itch has been scratched. ..for a while [emoji14]

Thanks mate, it's definitely a great part of the world there, going to try and up my photography skills and get some landscape shots next time. The relaxation is palpable once you paddle out Haha mate felt so good to have a fish on the end of the line!Lol you're not wrong...I've been meaning to get back to the gym. Bit late now [emoji14] Thanks mate but unfortunately no, my transducer shoots through the hull so only gets rough temp but was hovering on 14 Thanks mate! Funny enough you're the 2nd bloke to mention that today! I think it's a sign [emoji14]

G'day raiders, Been a while between reports but managed to get out on the kayaks last weekend for my one day off in what seems like forever! Launched at about 7 to a stunning morning on the water. One of those days where you don't feel a doughnut would even be that bad considering it was such a nice paddle! Paddled down river flicking zmans at pontoons and rock walls (my favourite style of fishing in the yak) and after a few casts into the shadows I had a nice little bream on no size to him but it's been that long since I've had a fish on the line I barely remembered how to fight it! Few more casts before the sun got high lead to a couple more of his brothers with my mate scoring a few as well one with a chunk out of his back from fin rot or injury, fairly common in the Georges. The sun rose higher and the bit slowed, we went soft vibing for a while hoping for flatties or jew but no love. Eventually beached the yaks for some lunch and a yarn before battling the tide back up river (I'll admit, the other guys towed me a fair bit with the Hobies as my paddle yak is a bugger in a racing post-rain tide) The others ended up wandering back to the launch but I couldn't resist a few more casts at a snag riddled rock wall, and my curiosity was rewarded with another 3 Bream with the fish of the day going 30 something and fat around the middle. Great fun all round! A nice day on the water and great to be back on the yak. Bring on next weekend for a 4 day fishing expedition! Thanks for reading guys Witha Tackle of choice was my 1-3kg nitro ultralight and my favourite little 2004h Luvias, matched with 0.6pe braid and 6lb leader. Zman grubs are my go to with 1/16 to 1/8 jigheads.

G'day raiders! Been a while since I've managed a proper fishing trip, work is an absolute slog lately. BUT; all those overtime hours have converted into a 4 day weekend next week! Leaving Wednesday night we are taking the Kayaks up to the Manning, planning on fishing two days salt then moving further up river for some brackish and fresh fun. The river is a bit of a mystery to me not having fished it before, anybody have experience with it? We will be throwing lures for the usual estuary species and hopefully new season bass further up. Any tips or tricks appreciated! Cheers Witha

Nice tailor mate, good size for the area! Keep it up

Hi mate, as above it depends on what you want to do with it, but for my land based light luring for bream etc most of my rods hover around the 6 10 to 7ft mark. For kayak I use down to 6 foot 6 or even 6 ft, and throwing big lures off breakwall and the like I use 8 or 9 ft graphite rods. Pick the style of fishing and the length will be easier to determine

Squidgy fish, zman minnowz and gulp / zman jerkshads have patterns and colours fairly close, haven't seen one with the skin pattern / markings though

Killing it as usual man! Great brace of fish there, gotta love our faithful smelly old river haha. Good condition on those bream too. They are indeed yellow fin, the thick anal spine is the give away, that dark one is definitely an upriver resident though! Usually they're much closer to the silver specimens! Keep it up! Have to join you again soon

Definitely count me in don't be a sook nurse! Even the dead of winter this year wasn't that bad in the yak! Haha. Very keen to meet a few more yak raiders